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Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A House Rabbits and Apartments

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    • natafish
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        I have a year old Netherlands Dwarf names Brian. He is a good bun, litter trained and is a good listener. I recently found out I’m relocating to FL for my job and was just approved for an apartment! I picked this apartment because it is pet friendly, I signed the lease and brought up Brian (the second time, the first time they said they are excited to meet him) and they said they only accept dogs, cats and fish. No other animals. I offered to pay an extra security deposit but no budge. Honestly considering sneaking him in. Any advise on moving with a House Rabbit?

        Just an update: So I played it off as a cage animal and said he was pretty much a guinea pig but they weren’t buying it. We’ll be living in a big sky rise downtown Orlando and I think my boyfriend and I have decided to sneak him in! After reading reviews it sounds like they give you 14 days notice before any inspection and my friend with a house said she would watch him if anything happens. Thanks for all your help!


      • Rio and Buns
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          I’m sorry I don’t really have any helpful advice because I’ve never had to deal with this but reading this made me so mad. If they accept dogs and cats, why not rabbits? It’s especially irritating because they said it was okay initially. Did you point out the fact that they did that, and how shady of a move it was?? Maybe you can lie and say he’ll always be caged so there’s nothing to worry about. Their logic – or lack thereof – just doesn’t make sense to me. I’d be taking my money elsewhere.


        • DanaNM
          Moderator
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            Does your lease specifically say no rabbits? If not, then I don’t think they can say No, but I would look into renter’s rights in your state (they vary by state and even by county in some places).

            Since they already know you have him, it would be tough to sneak him in (and even harder to play dumb about it).

            You can try getting him registered as an emotional support animal. Many people do this to get their pets accepted at their apartments.

            . . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  


          • Deleted User
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              I’m in MA, and I had a similar incident. The relators when my hubs and I moved in in October 2016 said caged animals and cats were fine, and that dogs weren’t. We were told they’d give us a new copy of the lease to reflect that, and they never did. May 2017, we get our two precious boys from the breeder and live in 4 weeks of harmony when we get a call from the property manager saying we were in violation of our lease by having bunnies. We were told to either abandon them in the parking lot or move out. Like I said, we never got that “new” lease, so we technically were in violation of it, needless to say, we packed up. I wouldn’t sneak him in because it will just cause more problems for you and you could find yourself homeless with a bunny.


            • OverthinkingBun
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                Before you do anything, have you read the lease closely? I hope you have a copy and can skip to the section about pets. Unfortunately, it might not matter what they said (are you sure you talked to the same people both times?). It sounds like a really unreasonable policy. You could try to get them to make an exception for a small, caged rabbit? This could work if you had a cage to put him in when maintenance staff come in.

                I would also suggest reading up on renter’s rights in Florida. I don’t know how possible it is to find another apartment once you signed a lease. In particular, check whether written notice is required before anyone enters your home. I’m not saying do or do not sneak him in, but if you chose to, you should know how much warning you will have before you have to hide him and his things. Also, I believe landlords can legally enter with no warning in a genuine emergency in any state, and you could end up dealing with a psycho landlord who flouts the law and goes in whenever they want (I have so many stories, lol). Not to scare you, just think everything through!

                I can’t begin to guess why cats and dogs are allowed but not rabbits. I love all three of them, but in my experience rabbits are far quieter and less smelly. Technically, my apartment is “no pets” but my landlord okayed my bunny. Are you renting from a complex, where you might be able to speak to a manager? If so, you could try talking to the manager, and if it’s a private owner, you could try reasoning with them? Good luck.


              • Leah & Lil' Lions
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                  I just moved to Florida a year ago. When I told my leasing office I had rabbits they were visibly surprised lol – doesn’t seem like many people down here have them!

                  My issue wasn’t about whether my rabbits would be allowed – just how much extra I’d have to pay for them. They clearly didn’t have a set policy for rabbits because the first person I spoke to said I wouldn’t need to pay an extra fee and the second person wanted me to pay the “cat” fee.

                  My point is that it seems like people down here don’t really know what to do about rabbits. I would try telling them the rabbits will be in a cage (even if they’re not) – The only thing your leasing office really cares about is whether your pet is going to do any damage.

                  I guarantee there’s more than one elderly person with a bird living in your apartment complex (it’s Florida) so, if that’s allowed, your “caged” rabbits should be allowed, too.


                • Leah & Lil' Lions
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                    If you’re heading to the Fort Myers area I can give you the names of a few places to check!


                  • sarahthegemini
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                      I wasn’t allowed pets in my old place (I’m now living with my mum) but we got rabbits anyway because we knew we wouldn’t allow them to destroy the place/we’d fix anything that needed sorting. Plus we hated our landlord anyway and didn’t give a crap tbh. It was a bit of a hassle because whenever they came for an inspection, we’d have to put the bunnies in the car and hide all evidence of them lol.


                    • Sirius&Luna
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                        Landlords and bunnies are just a nightmare. We asked our landlords permission for bunnies and were told yes, then the letting agent let themselves into our flat for an inspection without giving us any warning (which is totally illegal) and then threw a fit about it. I can’t even explain how angry I was. But my point being, I wouldn’t rely on them actually giving you the promised 14 days notice. It is a lot of hassle trying to hide pets and all their stuff (I’ve done it before in a previous flat), which is why I decided to be upfront this time, not that it helped in the end anyway.


                      • Mikey
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                          If you already signed the lease and added his name onto it, he can legally be there for the duration of the lease. It would be their fault for not checking their own rules first.

                          You can definitely sneak him in, many people sneak in loved pets that “arnt allowed”, but do be aware that if you are caught that they have the legal right to kick you out if hes not on the lease.


                        • Bladesmith
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                            My landlord and their management company allowed my rescue parrot and my daughters bearded dragon, saying quote, “as long as it has a cage, it’s ok.”
                            Well, Clover and Dawn both HAVE cages, openly displayed, but…..they’re never in them, lol.
                            Technically, I’m in compliance. The cats have cages too. That said, my landlord lives right next door to me, and they’ve seen all my animals, and they’re cool with them.


                          • joea64
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                              My own apartment complex does specifically allow rabbits, so that’s no issue. While they charge an additional fee for pets ($25 each), I consulted with my therapist to see if they could be certified as an emotional support animal (ESA); she concurred, wrote the letter and it was accepted. If you go that route, I strongly recommend you pursue it through your licensed therapist or other mental health professional if you have one; there’s a lot of abuse of ESA going around so it’s important to dot the I’s and cross the T’s and get the letter through a legitimate professional (not through one of those for-pay websites!).


                            • headpeon
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                                A lease will generally state that caged animals are fine, and then specify whether cats and dogs are allowed. There’s usually a pet deposit for a dog or cat, but not for a caged animal. I’ve never heard of a specific rule against rabbits. If the lease says caged animals are ok, I don’t see how they could deny a rabbit. (They don’t have to know whether/if its a free range rabbit.)


                              • natafish
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                                  They stated they don’t accept cage animals only Cats and Dogs. At first I played it off as it’s just a guinea pig since when people hear rabbits they immediately think chewing and pooping everywhere. Ultimately, we decided to sneak him in. I work from home so I’ll be there if there are any inspections or surprise visits. If anything happens i have a friend a block away who is willing to watch him. After reading stories about people hiding dogs from their landlords it has me a lot less worried about a quiet bun!

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                              Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A House Rabbits and Apartments